Hard Bending
by blackviper327
Summary: A year before Korra came to Republic City, the spirits answered the plea for help from another great entity. The lines between dimensions were blurred, and now the two worlds colide. A crossover between Legend of Korra and Larry Correia's Grimnoir Chronicles set at Season 1.


**Well, this is it, at long last. My first fic on this site. I've had this idea rolling around in my head for ages, but for the longest time I've just had so much more to get done. Now that I've finally got some time, I figure I oughta finally get around to posting this bitch. Sadly it seems lotsa folk here have never had the pleasure of reading Larry Correia's Grimnoir Chronicles series. If you're not afraid of a more mature Sci-Fi series with a lotta good ol' fashion maigc/superpowered-action and 1930s noir goodness, those are some books for you.**

**And now...Hard Bending.**

**Prologue**

_People of Republic City, we are now witness to proof of worlds apart from our own. The unexpected events that lead to the portal to this new world, Earth as their ambassadors have called it, are surely a sign from the spirits. We must greet these newcomers with both respect and dignity, as they welcome us into their world. May our two worlds live in peace and harmony.  
-Councilman Tenzin,_

_ of the Republic City Council, _

_ on the appearence of The Link of Worlds, 1931_

**Republic City, 1932**

It was exciting to see all the new arrivals to Republic City from The Link, coming in huge steamships that seemed to be packed with more people than he ever imagined could have fit on a ship's deck. Bolin leaned against the railing with curious green eyes fixed on the _Laughing Calf _as it pulled into one of the few docks that were still open. The rest were already occupied by merchant ships from both this world and the other, and by even more refugee ships like this one. Well...he wasn't really sure if he could call them refugees. Most of these people were just looking for work or somewhere better to live. He'd been told that things were pretty bad on their side of The Link. They'd just gotten done with a very bloody and world-changing war, and they were in the middle of an economic depression. Not exactly a good combination of events, especially for regular working stiffs. They looked to be making up most of the passengers on this ship, if the rough work clothes and hats were any indication. He had to wonder just how many of those poor people over there were Actives; The magically-gifted, super-powered people that served as that world's equivalent of Benders...at least to his understanding. He didn't understand the mechanics of how Actives worked, neither did anyone else to his knowledge, not that that counted for much considering he was a street kid turned Pro-Bender. What he did know was that they weren't as numerous as Benders. 1 in 100 in the other world had some small measure of Magic, and only 1 in 1000 could actually be called Actives. They were also much, _much _more varied in abilities than Benders. He'd heard of Actives that could possess super-strength, set you on fire with their mind, walk through walls, and even change gravity or heal the sick with just a touch. And that was only the beginning of the sort of powers an Active could be born with. Like Benders, though, they followed the rule of '1 person, one power', and he didn't know of anyone on their side that was like Korra.

"Korra..." He whispered softly, feeling a grin tug on his lips at that name. Now there was a girl that he could fall in love with. She was smart, tough, and gorgeous. He did love a girl that could make muscles like that look good. Bolin swore that he'd ask her out soon. Not quite yet, though. After all, he'd only know her for about four days. She was actually supposed to meet him here soon, wanting to see the people from the other Earth for herself. He imagined they didn't get much word about those people down in the South Pole. The _Laughing Calf_ was finally into dock a moment later, the passengers debarking solemnly, looking utterly beaten and desperate. Like he had been not too long ago.

Then he saw the mob gathering at the dock.

"Actives go home! No wizards in our city!" Equalist protestors. He should have known they'd be here. They didn't seem to like Actives any more than Benders, and they'd gone out of their way to make them unwelcome and ready to leave Republic City ever since the first ships had started arriving. The idiot with the giant sideburns that was always stirring up trouble in the park was there, shouting into a bullhorn and making an ass out of himself.

"Actives are nothing more than the new thugs of the Bending establishment! They come here to assisting in our oppression and to steal our jobs, our livelihoods! Will you sit by as these foreign devils steal your trades? Take the pay that is rightfully yours!?" There was a great uproar from the fifty or so protesters that had gathered into the mob, most of them holding up home-made signs that seemed to be variants of their usual anti-Bender slogans re-worded to fit an anti-Active campaign. The passengers form the ship were mostly shuffling onward, trying their best to ignore the mob as they shouted at them. A few in the back of the mod started throwing rotten fruit and garbage at the passengers, which seemed to drive one shabby-looking older man into a fit. Bolin's eyes widened as he saw the bones in the man's fingers stretch from his skin, growing into razor-like claws inches away from Sideburns Guy's face.

"Y'all just shut your mouths. We's here to work, not get yelled at by some hissy-fit throwin' city folk." He growled in one of those odd accents a lot of the people from the other Earth seemed to have. Bolin tried to recall what that man's type of Active was called...Shards. That was it. The ones that could change their bone structure at will. It didn't look any more pleasant than it sounded. Sideburns Guy seemed to be startled off for a moment, but apparently he was either brave or stupid enough to keep on going, even after that little display.

"You see!? Intruders in our world, and they have the nerve to threaten us in our own city! Well, wizard, I have just one thing to say to you! GO HOME!" He screamed the last part at the top of his lungs, and the bullhorn made it loud enough for the Shard to wince in pain. He looked as if he hadn't ruled out slashing Sideburns Guy's throat right then and there, but thankfully he seemed to get a hold of himself, and his fingers returned to normal as he shuffled off as fast as he could away from the mob.

"What are those jerks doing now?" A familiar, female voice almost shouted from beside Bolin. The Earth-Bender turned sharply to see Korra standing to his right, the huge polar bear-dog, Naga, beside her, and with an expression of utter disgust on her face. "Are they _really _protesting some poor people that just want jobs?" He hadn't even heard her approach. He'd have to work on his peripheral senses. Bolin hadn't ever seen her this angry before, but he definitely understood it.

"They're Equalists. They're jerks for the sake of being jerks. I don't think they care who it is they're bullying as long as they're bullying someone." He said in as casual a tone he could manage. Korra was still scowling at the mob, looking like she was ready to go over and let them know exactly what she thought of their little display, but she did nod over at Bolin's words.

"Yeah. Looked that way when I saw them the first time." She said it with venom in her words, and she started stalking toward the mob and the refugees with a determined look on her face, which was probably not a very good sign. Bolin had jog to keep up with her, now looking a bit worried.

"As much as I think they deserve a little talking to, I don't know if the Avatar going over and breaking up a mob of protesters is really a good idea for public image, you know?" He was usually good at placating people. That boyish charm of his sure helped with that most days. "Tenzin wouldn't ever let you hear the end of it, either." For a moment it seemed like it would work. Korra, while still looking furious with the Equalists, was slowing down, and eventually stopped, taking a long, deep breath as she tried to calm herself down.

Then one of the Equalists went and threw a bottle at one of the younger refugees. He couldn't have been older than 12, and the bottle cut his forehead as it struck him, sending him to the ground in a whimpering heap. A tall, skinny man, who Bolin guessed to the kid's father, didn't stand for that. Electricity enveloped the Crackler's hand as he swung around at the first of the Equalists he could see. It happened to be Sideburns Guy, and, much to Bolin's private joy, the bullhorn-toting ass was sent to the ground in a sprawled out, twitching mass as the Crackler turned to confront the next person in line while a young women started to tend to the boy's bloody wound. That had done it. Korra sprinted toward the suddenly-brawling mass of people. Electricity, fire and fists were flying amid the crowd as the Equalists suddenly found themselves fighting another angry mob. Bolin hadn't quite registered Korra's sprint toward the crowd until she was already between the two groups, letting out a cry of anger as she slammed her foot down onto the ground as hard as she possibly could. The wall of rock that shot up from the concrete and wood was at least ten feet tall, and she stood atop it, glaring at the Equalists as if daring them to do anything else stupid.

"That's enough! If you want to pick on someone, then pick on me if you've got the guts!" She shouted down at them, even as some of the more angry refugees tried to scale the wall to get at their foe. Bolin wasn't far behind, trying to keep the refugees from going over or around the wall to attack the Equalists, as much as he thought they deserved it. It wouldn't do for him and Korra to be held responsible for letting some people hurt, or possibly kill each other if things really got out of hand.

The cops arrived a few seconds later. Yep. This wasn't going to be a fun night.

"So...that's the Avatar?" The tall, Black woman in the gray pinstripe suit and fedora said from the drivers seat of her car, eyebrow raised at the scene before her. Her dress would have been considered unimaginably scandalous back home, but here few seemed to bat an eye at it. One more point in this place's favor, even if she still couldn't get a decent breakfast around here. Or a proper car. "Looks like she's got herself a temper problem."

"You telling me you wouldn't be just as pissed in her position? She's supposed to be this worlds...I don't know, guardian or superhero. Besides, there's no shame in sticking up for poor folk looking for new opportunity." Her hulking companion said, a frown on his mustached face as the police arrived. They were arresting as many people as they could, including the Avatar and the kid she was with. That would be a bit of a problem if she spent a week or so in jail. They'd have to see to that. The woman shrugged.

"Probably, but a firebrand attitude like that will cause trouble, even if she is using it for some good work. Pershing's not going to be happy to hear about this." She sighed deeply, glancing down at the gold ring on her finger, and the black stone set into it. "You're going to be the one to tell him, by the way. Don't think he likes me all that much."

**Well, that's it for now. Not the best work I've ever done, but it's a start. Promise to bump up the quality in the future. In any case, lemme know what you think, folks!**


End file.
